Sporting Club Thamesmead F.C. is an English football club located in Thamesmead in the London Borough of Bexley currently managed by the boss himself, Alexander White. The club is affiliated to the Kent Football Association.[1] The first team plays in the Southern Counties East League Division One, the reserves in the Kent County League and the veterans team in the Southern Vets League.
Formed in 1900 as Royal Ordnance Factories Sports Association (ROFSA), in 1966 they changed their name to Royal Arsenal Sports and Recreation Association (RASRA). From 2003 until 2011, the team was known as Seven Acre Sports,[2] before being renamed as Seven Acre & Sidcup on moving to Oxford Road in Sidcup.[3][1] The club's current name was adopted in 2016, following a further move to the new Sporting Club Thamesmead sports complex in 2014.[4]
History
Formed in 1900 the club played in several south London leagues, the London Spartan League and the Spartan League before joining the South London Alliance. During its time there the club often moved between its Premier Division and First Division.[5][6] After numerous cup wins over the years, and following winning the Division One title at the end of the 2008–09 campaign,[7] Seven Acres refused promotion to the Premier Division and joined the Kent County League in Division Two West.[8]
In 2010 the Acre moved from their traditional home of Abbey Wood to Sidcup, adopting a new name,[9] and in 2011-12 was accepted to become one of the founder members of the Kent Invicta Football League at level 10 of the English football league system for its inaugural season.[10]
In its penultimate season in Sidcup the Beckenham Hospitals Cup was won again this time in Chislehurst versus Tudor Sports.
For the 2014–15 season the club made the big step to groundshare with Thamesmead Town at their Bayliss Avenue home. This cemented their position in the Kent Invicta League and saw the club enter the FA Vase that season and the FA Cup the following season.
The committee then decided to push on like never before for the 2016–17 season as another name change saw them become Sporting Club Thamesmead FC. This was to reach out even more to the local community.
2018 saw the newly named club claim its first silverware as the Hospitals Charity Cup was won again. This time by beating Phoenix Sports Reserves at Park View Road.
Colours
SC Thamesmead's colours are black and red striped shirts, with black shorts and socks sponsored by B&W Engineering[1] The away kit is yellow and dark blue shirts, with dark blue shorts and socks also sponsored by B&W Engineering.[1]
Grounds
1900 to 2010 the club played at the Seven Acre ground in Abbey Wood.
2011 - 2014 the club played at Oxford Road, Sidcup.
Since the 2014/15 season, the club have played their home games at the Sporting Club Thamesmead complex at Bayliss Avenue, London. Originally groundsharing with Thamesmead Town F.C., this enabled the club to compete in the FA step 6 (then named) Kent Invicta League and FA national cups. The reserve and vets teams play on the adjacent new 4G pitch. The clubs spiritual homes are Oxford Road, Sidcup and the Seven Acre / RASRA ground in Abbey Wood.
